Ribbon-feed mechanism.



C. M. GROOK.

RIBBON FEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR.12,190B.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

V-MI O. M. GROOK.

RIBBON FEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.12,1908.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a. 2 5 0 UV 5 mm 6 J W b 9 H i E 8 z M 1 Mn 5 W 2 M W W Z M m z UNITEDSTATE CHARLES M. CROOK, or CHICAGO, rL LINoIs.

RIBBON-FEED MECHANISM.

' I '0 all whom it may concern:

Jtion;-Figs. 2 and 3 are si e;elevat ional iviews, partly, diagrammatic, of the ribbon arranged to be wound lie it known that I, CHARLES M. CROOK, a citizen of the United btatesyresiding at Chica go, 1nv the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ribbon-Feed Mechanism, of which the following i is a. full, clear, concise, and eSzact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements'in ribbon feed mechanism for stamps, type writers and the like, and is applicable to any printing or stamping device in which an inked ribbonis arrangedto travel across or cooperate with the face of the type or other impression means, the ribbon being from one spool or reel upon another.

One of the objects of my inventionis to provide means whereby the ribbon is automatically shifted upon each printing operation.

Another object of my invent-ion is to provide automatic means whereby the direction of movement of the ribbon across theface of the impression means is reversed when the same has been to a predetermined extent wound upon one spool and unwound from the other spool.

The invention resides, then, first in the means employed'for imparting movement to the ribbon, and secondly in the means by which the direction of this movement is reversed at the proper time, it being under-.

stood, of course, that either of these features may sired.

- In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown, for the purpose of illustration, my

invention applied to an electrically-operated time stamp,' of' that form in which the printing means'and the means for changing the reading thereof are carried by a head made movable toward and away 'fro1n the platen.

' In these drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational ,side view of the time stamp provided 1 with my improved ribbon mechanlsm, a portion of the casing of the device being broken away to expose to view that part of the construction which relates to the resent invenmechanlsm itself, showing the operative parts in different positions and detached Specification of Letters Patent," Patented Nbv, ,Application filed March 1;, 190a Serial No. 420,693- I Q from the rest of the machine; and Fig. 4 is atop plan view of the ribbon mechanism.

In these drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout, 1 is the base of the machine, having a portion 2 shaped to receive a platen 3, upon which is placed the article to receive the impression Pivotally mounted (in the base by means of the pin 5 is an arm 116 which carries a bell-shaped head portion 104 containing the impression mechanism and means for driving the same (which do not relate to the present invention). Suitable spools or reels 117 are provided on opposite sides of the impression wheels, being mounted on shafts 105 provided with knurled ends 120. The ribbon 117 winds back and forth from one reel to the other and is driven by means forming the subject of the present invention,

. the direction of movement of the ribbon being automatically reversed when the same has been nearly unwound from one reel and almost completely wound upon the other reel. On each of the shafts 105 is secured a gear 120' with which meshesa smallergear 121 mounted on a stud 122 projecting from the side plate 28 of the head. This gear meshes with a gear 123 mounted on a short shaft 121 which extends through the plate 28 and carries on the inner side of this plate a similar gear 125. Pivoted on a shaft 126 is a tilting plate 127 carrying at one end a gear 128 mounted on a stud 129 secured to the plate 127 and meshing with a gear 130 re- .volving on the-shaft 126 which-carries the be employed without the other, 1f deplate 127. Mounted on a stud "131, carried by the plate 127, is another gear 132 also meshing with the gear' 130. In mesh w th this gear 132 is a similar :gear 133 carrled by a stud 134 on the plate 127. \Vhen the plate is tilted in one direction u'ponits fulc'rum at the shaft 126, the gear 133 is caused to'mesh with one of the gears 125, this gear being the first in the train connected with the ribbon reel upon that side of-the ma-- chine. Whenthe plate "127 is tipped in the other direction the large gear 128 is caused to mesh with the gear on the corresponding side of the machine. As the gear is always .in mesh with the gears -1 28 and 132 it is evident that rotary movement lmparted to this gear 130will drive the gears 128 and 133 at all times, and in opposite dlrectlons,

and that motion will be transmitted to one or the other of the reels, depending on which way the plate 127 is tilted. This gear130 is driven by a ra'tchet-and-pawl arrangevment, the ratchet wheel 135 being fast with 'the gear 130, and being driven by a springressed pawl 136 carried by a slide bar 137.

- sslidebar137 isnormallydrawn downward bya coil-springj138 secured at one of its ends to the bar and at its opposite end to a stud reciprocating movement imparted to the slide bar'137 is transmitted as a rotary movement to one or the other of the ribbon spools,,and results in the winding of the ribbon; upon this spool from the other spool.

The direction in which the ribbon will move from'one reel to vthe other will depend upon which of these reels is operatively connected, through its corresponding train of gearing .and the gearing carried by the-tilting plate 127, with the gear 130. This is determined .by whether one end of the plate 127 or the other end thereof is tipped downward. Suitable" automatic means are provided'for thus tipping the plate at the proper time, and

will be described below.

When this invention is applied to a time stamp' ofthe form shown, there will be ,mounted on the base 2 at one side of the platen ashort stud 140; so located as to be engaged by an outturned foot 141 on the lower end of the'bar 137 when the head of the machine is depressed to take an impression. ['Itjis) evident however, that this invention may be applied as well to that "type of stamp wherein the impression mechamsm 15 located in the base, the head carry,

ing the platen and being adapted to lmpart a blow to the paper or the like and thereby. to cause the under side-of the same to receive'the impression. In this case the ribbon mechanism would be carried in the base, instead of in-the head as herein illustrated, and the slide bar 137 would project upwardly and would be arranged to be engaged by the head when the latter is depressed. In either case the approach of the head and base toward each other-causes the bar 137 to move inward with relation to the mechanism which it operates,-thismovement being effected by the engagement of the other part therewith.

The mechanismwhich tilts the plate 127, thereby efiecting reversal of the connections and consequently changing the direction of movement of the ribbon, comprises a'pair of lovers 142 pivoted just inside the reels and preferably provided each with a roller 143 adapted to engage and run upon the ribbon. wound upon the adjacent reel when moved" -into operative relation therewith. These levers are connected with each other at a point above their fulcrums 144 by a spring 145 which tends to move the roller-carrying ends thereof away from each other and toward the reels.- The ends of the levers o posite the roller carrying ends are form with cam-like portions 145, facing each other.

The tilting. plate 127 carries a stud 146 carrying a roller 147dis osed between the ends 145 of the levers. ormally the roller 147 is held in one extreme position orthe other by the engagement of the cam-like end of one of the levers therewith, the

other lever resting upon the roller, thereby tending to move the atter to the other .position. If, now, the holding lever be lifted, the other lever will move downward, thrusting the roller over to the other sition, and ho ding it in this position withe raised lever resting thereon. The roller 147 being thus shifte back and forth, the plate 127 is rocked on its pivot so-as tocausethe gears at its ends to.alternately mesh with their corresponding gears 125 in train with the gears 120 on theshafts of the reels. The

reelsare thus driven alternately and in opposite directions As the reciprocation of the slide bar 137 upon each depressionof the head results in the transmission of movement to one reel or the other, the amount of ribbon wound on the driven reel, and therefore the diameter of the same, will gradually build up, thereby gradually rocking that lever the roller of which engages therewith. As the other reeldecreases in diameter the roller carried by the lever corresponding to said other reel will gradually be left behind.

Finally, when the ribbon has nearly all rest upon the top of the roller 147 It will be seen that in this reversing mechanism the change in diameter of the rolls of ribbon upon the reels is utilized to cause suitable trip mechanism to operate, and that this trip mechanism is adapted t9 uickly andpositively break the connection tween the driving mechanism and one reel and simultaneously establish connection between this driving mechanism and the other reel.

Havmgthus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure-by Letters Patentis:

1. In a reversin ribbon-feed device, the

combination of ribbon-reels, a driven train of wheels for driving one or the other of said ribbon reels to feed the ribbonfrom one 'reel to the other, and reversing mechanism for causing said train of Wheels to transfer its driving motion from one reel to the other, said reversing mechanism comprising an actuating member arranged to bear against the roll of ribbon upon one of the reels so as to be moved thereby as the diameter of the roll of ribbon changes.

2. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of ribbon reels, a pivoted member, a driven train of wheels carried by said pivoted member for rotating one or the other of the reels to feed the ribbon from said reel to the other, and shifting and locking mechanism for throwing said pivoted member and thus connecting said tram with one or the other of the reels, said shifting and locking mechanism comprising an actuating member arranged to bear against the roll of ribbon on one of the reels so as to be moved thereby as the diameter of the roll of ribbon changes.

3. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of ribbon reels, a reversing lever for each of said reels, means tending to move one end of each of said levers toward the corresponding reel, a pivoted plate, mechanism carried by said plate for rota-t ing the reels to feed theribbon from one reel to the other, and shifting mechanism for throwing said plate and thus connecting said rotating mechanism with one or the other of the reels, said shifting mechanism having means adapted for engagement with the other ends of said levers, whereby the reversal of the direction of ribbon-feed is made dependent on increase in the bulk of the ribbon upon one of the reels.

4. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, a pair of reels having each a driving gear connccl'ed therewith, a pivoted member carrying upon opposite sides of its pivot gears revolving in opposite directions, and ribbon actuated shifting means for moving said pivoted member about its pivot to cause one or the other of the gears carried thereby to engage the corresponding reel-driving gear.

5. in a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of reels upon which the ribbon winds and between which it passes, a gear connected with each of said reels, a pivoted member-,driving means carried by said pivoted member and arranged for engagement with one or the other of said first-named gears, and reversing levers adjacent said reels adapted to engage the ribbon on said ree s and adapted to move said pivoted member one way or the other about its pivot, whereby connection is established between said driving means and one or the other of said reel-gears, the moving of said levers being ell'ected by change in the relative diameters of the rolls of ribbon upon the respective reels.

G. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination with reels, of a driving gear for mg gear and adapted to mesh 8 each of said reels, a pivoted member carrymg gears upon opposite sides of its ivot,

means for driving said gears in opposite directions, each of said oppositely-driven ears being adjacent the corresponding reelrivtherewith, levers adjacent said reels, means tending to move-each of said levers toward its adjacent reel to engage the ribbon wound thereon, and means carried by said pivoted member for engagement with either of said levers, whereby said pivoted member may be moved about its pivot thereby and the connections reversed upon sufficient change in the rela-' tive diameters of the rolls of ribbon upon the respective reels.

In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of a pair of reels, a tilting member pivoted betweensaid reels, gears carried by said tilting member and driven in opposite directions, a gear operatively connected with each of said reels and adapted to mesh with one of said oppositely-driven gears, whereby moving said tilting member around its pivot in one direction will cause one of said reels to be driven and moving said tilting member in the other direction about its pivot will cause the other of said reels to be driven, a lever adjacent each of said reels, anti-friction means carried by said levers for engagement with the ribbon on the reels, a roller carried by said tilting member, each of said levers havin an end adapted to engage said roller, said roller and levers being so arranged that increase of the bulk of the ribbon upon either of the reels causes the corresponding lever to move out of the path of movement of said roller and permit the other to move said roller and thereby tilt said tilting member and reverse the connections.

8. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of ribbon reels, mechanism for rotating either of said reels, shifting mechanism for connecting said rotating mechanism with one or the other of said reels, said shifting mechanism comprising a roller adjacent each of said reels and made movable toward and away from said reel, means tending to move said rollers toward said reels and into engagement with the ribbon wound thereon, and o erative connections between said rollers ant said rotating means whereby when the bulk of the ribbon on one of said reels attains a given diameter,'the roller adjacent said reel will be shifted and the rotating mechanism will be placed in connection with the other of said reels.

9. The combination of impression means, ribbon reels upon opposite sides of said impression means, each of said reels having gearin whereby the same may be revolved to wind the ribbon thereupon, a lever carrying a gear at one side of its fulcrum adapted to mesh with the gearing of one of said reels,

45 headis moved toward said base,

55 thereby receive movement for operating -said lever carryin also a gear on the opposite Sid61-0f its fulcrum ,adapted to mesh with the gearing of the otherreel, means for rocking said lever so as to cause either of said gears carried thereby to mesh with its corresponding reel gear, a drivin gear pivoted coaxially with sald lever and dr1v mg both of the gears carried by the lever, and means for moving said driving gear forwardnpon. each operation of the impression means.

10. The combination of a head and base having relative movement, impression means and ribbon spools on one of said relatively movable parts, driving mechanism for said ribbon spools, and a reciprocable slide bar for operating said driving mechanism, said slide bar being disposed so as to engage the other of said relatively movable parts when said parts approach each other and thereby to have movement imparted thereto for operating said driving mechanism. 11. The combination ot a base and head "I movable relatively to each other, impression means and ribbon reels earned by one oi said parts, mechanism also carried by said art for driving said ribbon reels, said drivmg mechanism comprising a ratchet Wheel, a reciprocable slide bar, a pawl carried by said slide bar for advancing said ratchet- Wheel,said slide bar being arranged .to engage the other of the relatively movable parts and thereby to have movement imparted thereto for driving said ribbon moving mechanism.

12. The combination of a base, a head movable relatively to said base, ribbon storage means carried by said head, means for progressively shifting the ribbon carried by said ribbon storage means, a ratchet wheel bon-reels carried by said head, revolving means for moving said ribbon, ratchet-andpawl means for intermittently moving said revolving means, and means carried by said head and adapted to engage said base and said ratchet-and-pawl device.

14. The combination of a base, a head, impression means carried by said head, ribbon spools disposed on opposite sides of said im ression means, means for winding said rib on from one spool to the other, and reversmg means for changing the direction 1n which said ribbon is moved, said reversing means operativelyengaging the roll of ribbon on one of the spools so as to be moved thereby as the diameter of the roll changes.

15. The combination of a head carrying impression means, a ribbon reel upon each side of said impression means, means for rotating one orthe other of said reels, and reversing levers, one for each reel, operating said reel-rotating means, said reversing levers being arranged to bear upon the rolls of ribbon carried by their respective reels so as to be moved thereby as the diameter of one or the other of the rolls increases.

member, :for lmpartmg'movement to one or the other 16. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of a pair of ribbon reels, a gear connected to each of said reels, a pivoted revolving means carried thereby 10f said gears, and ribbon-operated means for moving said pivoted member about its pivot so as to cause said revolving means to connect with either of said gears.

17. The combination of a relatively-movable base and head, lmpression mechanism and spools carried by said head, revolving means for actuating said spools to move the ribbon across the face of said impression means,.and a reciprocating member carried by said head and operatively connected to move said spools, said member being arranged to engage said base when the head approaches the same and thereby to receive movement and to operate said spools.

18. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of ribbon reels, a gear connected with each of said reels, a member pivoted between said gears, gears carried by said pivoted member and revolving in opposite directions, and ribbon-actuated means for tilting said pivoted member so as to cause one or the other of said gears carried thereby to mesh with one of said first-named gears.

19. In a reversing ribbon-feed device, the combination of ribbonreels, a reel-gear connected to each of said reels, a pivoted member, a pair of gears carried thereby, a gear mounted coaxially with said pivoted member and arranged to drive said pair of gears carried by said pivoted member in opposite directions, and ribbon-operated means for shifting said pivoted member so as to cause one or the other of said pair of gears to mesh with one or the other of the reel gears.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. I

' CHARLES M. CROOK.

Witnesses:

WM. M. HAENEL, CHARLES L. HOPKINS. 

